People

Carmen Muñoz-Ballester obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and her Master’s degree in at the University of Valencia (Spain), where she is originally from. After that, she joined Dr. Pascual Sanz’s laboratory at the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), where she completed her doctoral studies, graduating in 2017 with a PhD in Biotechnology. During those years, she studied the molecular basis of epilepsy in a fatal rare disorder known as Lafora disease and discovered her passion for astrocytes. Astrocytes are non-neuronal cells in the brain which play important roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and are very important in many neurological conditions, as they respond very rapidly to the brain. To continue her training in astrocyte response to injury, Carmen moved to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech in 2018 to start her postdoctoral training with Dr. Stefanie Robel, and later moved with Dr. Robel to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During her postdoc, Carmen studied the astrocyte response to mild traumatic brain injury. In August 2024, she started her own laboratory at UMBC where she focuses in how astrocytes respond to injury in the female brain. In her free time, Carmen loves reading, hiking, learning languages, travelling, doing indoor cycling and chocolate. She hates the Oxford comma.

Elizabeth Wash, Masters student in the AMB program, is a proud member of the Munoz-Ballester lab. She is currently working on studying the impacts of mild-moderate traumatic brain injuries on estrogen receptors through intact plasmids, viral packaging, and studying astrocyte physiology. In her free time she enjoys reading and loves spending time with her dog, Snickers.

I am Aniket Camarushi, a junior Bioinformatics & Computational Biology major with minors in Computer Science and Statistics. I am  passionate about neuroscience and data analytical bioinformatics. During my time at the Munoz-Ballester Lab, I hope to explore the cell to cell expression of astrocytes and endothelial cells via single-cell RNA-seq and gain a deeper understanding of the laboratory methods. After completing my undergraduate studies, I aim to pursue a Masters and Ph.D. in Bioinformatics. Outside of academics and research, I enjoy playing tennis, watching anime, and make/listen to music which allows me to unwind and stay inspired.

Natasha Dao is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Biology with a minor in Music. Natasha is currently certified as a medical assistant and strives to become a medical doctor. In addition to her academic pursuits, Natasha is passionate in playing piano, singing, and acting. In her free time she loves crocheting, engaging in clubs and community activities, and learning new music/instruments.
With a deep interest in neuroscience, Natasha is eager to work with Dr. Muñoz-Ballester to study astrocytes and their role in the response to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and recovery.

My name is  Olufemi Obideyi, a junior at UMBC majoring in Biological Sciences (B.A.) on the pre-med track. I joined Dr. Carmen’s lab to contribute to research on characterizing changes in glial cells during traumatic brain injury and recovery, especially in females. Outside of the lab, I enjoy watching anime and playing games

Shanmukha Josyam is a junior Biological Sciences (B.S.) major on the pre-med track, with minors in Music and Emergency Health Services. After his undergraduate study, Shanmukha aims to pursue an M.D. degree for a career in medicine, specifically in the field of cardiology. During his time at the Munoz-Ballester Lab, he hopes to explore the behavioral modulation of astrocytes in response to diffuse traumatic brain injury (TBI) in females and gain a deeper understanding of the laboratory methods used for data analysis. Outside of research, Shanmukha enjoys watching action movies and playing the violin.

Trisha Tomcy is a junior undergraduate Individualized Studies major with a concentration in Neurobiology and a minor in Music. She intends to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. in neuroscience, and is an NIH-BUILD Affiliate to make this aspiration a reality! Beyond the lab, Trisha enjoys writing music, immersing herself in poetry, and playing an absurd amount of Stawdew Valley to embrace a simpler life. Trisha loves the brain and is excited to learn more about it in the Muñoz-Ballester Lab!